The sheer volume of chromatographic immunoassay tests that today must be processed by laboratories has prompted the development of structurally simple, inexpensive and thus disposable test devices of the type disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,403,551 Galloway et al, U.S. Pat. No. 5,770,458 Klimov et al., U.S. Pat. No. 6,726,879 Ng et al., and U.S. Pat. No. 7,300,626 Wu et al.
These tests typically include a number of chromatographic test strips held in one or more pockets where they subjectable to contact the fluid specimen collected. Devices such as the IMMUTEST brand cartridge commercially available from Ameditech, Inc. of San Diego, Calif. can be dipped into a container holding a fluid specimen, or the specimen can be deposited on the strips using a pipette or similar device in order to initiate test process.
In some devices such as the so called “no-step”-type devices, the test is initiated immediately by the act of depositing fluid into the cup. However, it is preferable in some situations that the test be initiated by a skilled technician who can promptly read the results. This may not occur when the specimen donor deposits fluid into the cup. Devices such as U.S. Pat. No. 7,300,626 Wu, et al. allow for initiation of the test by changing the orientation of the cup.
An additional problem with fluid specimen cup devices occurs when too little fluid is supplied such that contact cannot be made reliably with the strips.
It can be useful to store a subset of the fluid sample provided for later use in confirmatory testing in the lab as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,726,879, Wu, et al.
The instant invention results from attempts to expedite the assay process by reducing the amount of user's manipulation of the testing device, reduce the volume of sampling fluid needed, minimize the risk of misinterpretation of the results, and further reducing the device manufacturing cost and yet offer added versatility of use.